Welcome to a New Academic Year

September 3, 2007

Dear Rutgers Students:

Welcome to the 2007–08 academic year! Interim Provost Margaret Marsh and I wish you the best possible experience—both in and outside the classroom.

Much is happening at Rutgers–Camden as the fall semester gets under way.
We welcome the first-ever class of doctoral students on the Camden Campus, who are enrolled in the nation's very first PhD program in childhood studies. This program places Rutgers at the vanguard of an emerging academic discipline, and our students will be the leaders in this field. New master's programs in computer science and psychology also welcome students.

We are nearing completion of a state-of-the-art facility for the School of Law, which will greatly expand Rutgers–Camden's teaching facilities and help our law students and faculty better deliver pro bono clinical experiences that also serve our host community. The new building will open in January 2008, with renovations to the existing building completed by next fall.

Throughout this academic year, we will begin to recruit nationally for a new master of fine arts in creative writing program, as well as for an exciting four-year undergraduate program at our School of Business.

The Campus Center dining area has been overhauled and now offers a wider selection of dining options in a more comfortable setting.

Renovation of the gymnasium into a premier health club experience for Camden students will begin later this year. And on October 11, we will dedicate the Gateway Project, which has both raised needed funds for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and transformed a portion of Fourth Street into a green park accentuated by public artwork.
Rutgers–Camden is a premier institution where world-class faculty and dedicated staff work closely with students to provide unparalleled opportunities for learning and advancement. It is within this context that we move forward with our search for a permanent provost; details may be found at http://www.president.rutgers.edu/search_camden.shtml.

In the meantime, Margaret Marsh continues to provide exemplary leadership for both the campus and the university. She and I welcome your thoughts on how to advance Rutgers–Camden during the new academic year.

One final note: I will present my Annual Address to the University Community on Friday, September 28, at 1:10 p.m. in the Rutgers Student Center on College Avenue on the New Brunswick campus. You are welcome to attend the address or see the webcast via my website, http://www.president.rutgers.edu.

As you begin the semester, I wish you all the rewards of hard work, intellectual curiosity, and active participation in the life of this dynamic community.

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey